8 Secrets to Waking Up Earlier and Feel Refreshed

There was a time when I couldn’t wait for the weekends so I could finally sleep in. The thought of waking up earlier just didn’t appeal to me. Why the heck would I need to get up early anyways? Especially on the weekends??

I loved the feeling of being well rested and climbing out from under my covers no earlier than 10am. But there was a problem. I was starting to realize that I wasn’t as well rested as I thought I was. Getting myself up and moving was getting harder and harder. And to top it all off I was feeling sluggish and craving a nap by noon! Before I knew it was time for dinner and the day was basically shot. I hated feeling this way and knew something had to give.

Some research, a long pep talk with myself and a bit of effort later, I was pulling myself out of bed at 6am. I will admit, it was hard at first. I went into it knowing it was going to take a little time for my body to adjust, but for me, it definitely felt like a step in the right direction.

So if you’re feeling super sluggish an hour after waking up then it’s time to end your relationship with your snooze button and start waking up earlier to start feeling refreshed and well rested.

Secret #1) Wake Up to Something Exciting

If you want to start waking up earlier, one of the easiest ways to do this is to have something that makes you want to jump out of bed. Maybe you’re going to make yourself something delicious for breakfast. Or maybe it’s a deep, restorative yoga class that you can’t wait to start.

Or maybe it’s something creative like writing or drawing that you never could find the time to do before. It can be whatever you like. Just try to find something that gets you excited and motivates you to get up.

Secret#2) Water, Water and More Water!

Can I really call this a secret? Probably not, but I’m going to anyways. Your body can get pretty dehydrated after sleeping all night. So it’s very important to start rehydrating as soon as you can. I always try to drink 3 glasses of water before I ever even have my first cup of coffee. And I feel 1,000 times better now that I’ve started doing this!

Before, I use to wake up and have my cup of coffee first thing. I didn’t realize just how much I was dehydrating myself and making it that much harder to wake up. So start the day with a few big glasses of water and start feeling more awake and so much more energized.

Secret #3) Stretch it Out Before Bed

I would always feel so stiff and kind of achey when I’d wake up in the morning. It makes sense because we’re basically laying in one position for 8 or 9 hours a night. But I’ve found the best way to combat this is by stretching before bed. Even just 5 or 10 minutes makes the world of difference the next day. Whenever I do this my neck and shoulders feel so much less tense and stiff in the morning.

Secret #4) Wake Up and Stretch Again

Once you’re up give your body another quick stretch to wake up those muscles. You’ll already feel less stiff from stretching the night before, so this is going to feel really good on your body.

Secret #5) Wake Up, Phone Down!

You did it! You beat the sun up! Congratulations!! Now comes the important part. Making it count. You didn’t do this just so you could scroll through the ‘gram or start getting a head start on work emails. No way!

You did this for you. Enjoy this extra time you’ve given yourself. If you’re new to waking up this early then use this time to slowly ease into your day. Eventually you can start creating a routine that works best for you. But for now just take a little time to really enjoy that cup of coffee.

Enjoy the silent stillness knowing you’re the only one up while the rest of the world is still sleeping. There will be plenty of time for the other stuff later. But right now? This is all for you.

Secret #6) Tidy Up the Night Before

I absolutely love getting out of bed, walking into the kitchen and seeing the place is clean and tidy. It puts a smile on my face. Waking up to a clean space makes me feel so much more at ease. I’m not saying you need to do a deep clean every night, but cleaning up after dinner, putting the dishes away and wiping down the counter will set you up for success the next day.

And BONUS! You’ll fall asleep easier knowing you don’t have to do any of this tomorrow 🙂

Secret #7) Early Morning Workout

Now I know you might be hating me for saying this right now, but waking up earlier to get in a quick workout is a great way to get your day started. I love this for many reasons, but here are a few of my faves.

• 1) You get it out of the way first thing and it’s done, you don’t have to worry about it the rest of the day.
• 2) It feels so good to sweat first thing in the morning.
• 3) A long shower after a great workout is the best feeling ever!
• 4) It will help you instantly feel awake.
• 5) Overall you’ll feel more productive and ready to get things done!

Secret #8) Set the Mood

For me, my morning routine looks a little like: Wake up, workout, 10-15 minutes of meditation, shower, get dressed and then comes my favorite part… relaxation. So this part of my routine is especially important to me. This is the part where I really slow down, thank myself for what I’ve accomplished this morning and get into the best possible mindset to start the day. I make a hot cup o’joe, light some candles and curl up on the sofa with my coffee to watch the sun come up. This is my absolute favorite part of the day that I look forward to every morning. Sometimes I journal, other times I just enjoy the silence. It’s the perfect way to ease myself into the rest of the day and prepare for what’s to come.

Waking up earlier doesn’t have to be a battle. It can be something you actually look forward to and enjoy. Anyone can be a morning person. You just have to find the right morning routine that works best for you.